An article (in the 27th British Social Attitudes report) examined the extent to which age was a source of identity in the same way as gender, race, and social class. Those aged 18-29 were more likely to feel discriminated against than any other age group, and were viewed more negatively than older people.
Source: Rory Fitzgerald, Eric Harrison and Frank Steinmaier, <:'Age identity and conflict: myths and realities', in Alison Park and Elizabeth Clery (eds.), British Social Attitudes: The 27th Report, SAGE Publications
Links: Summary | NatCen press release | City University press release
Date: 2010-Dec
A survey found that young people in Wales often had negative attitudes towards those who displayed suicidal thoughts or actions.
Source: Welsh Youth Consultation on Suicide and Help Seeking Behaviours, Mind Cymru
Links: Report | Mind press release | BBC report
Date: 2010-Nov
Pupils in England scored significantly above average in a test of civic knowledge and understanding when compared with other countries participating in an international study. However, when compared only to their European counterparts, their performance was average.
Source: Julie Nelson, Pauline Wade and David Kerr, Young People's Civic Attitudes and Practices: England's outcomes from the IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS), Research Report RR060, Department for Education
Links: Report | Brief | NFER press release
Date: 2010-Nov
A report examined the housing challenges that would face young people in 2020 and the likely influences on their housing options. A linked paper summarized evidence from four projects led by young people aged under 30, examining their experiences of housing and setting out the changes that young people felt would help them make the right housing choices. A second linked paper considered the need to revise policies so that they reflected the risks and obstacles specific to young people in the housing market.
Source: David Clapham, Kelly Buckley, Peter Mackie, Scott Orford and Ian Stafford, Young People and Housing in 2020: Identifying key drivers for change, Joseph Rowntree Foundation | Kathleen Kelly, A Young People's Charter on Housing, Joseph Rowntree Foundation | Julie Rugg, Young People and Housing: The need for a new policy agenda, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Links: Report | Paper (1) | Paper (2)
Date: 2010-Nov
A new book examined the ways in which the concepts of social capital and ethnicity played a central role in young people's relationships, participation in wider social networks, and construction of identities.
Source: Tracey Reynolds (ed.), Young People, Social Capital and Ethnic Identity, Routledge
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Nov
Researchers examined the impact of citizenship education on the learning experiences and outcomes of pupils in England. There had been a 'marked and steady increase' in young people's civic and political participation, and indications that these young people would continue to participate as adult citizens. In contrast, there had been a hardening of attitudes toward equality and society, a weakening of attachment to communities, and fluctuating levels of engagement and trust in the political arena.
Source: Avril Keating, David Kerr, Thomas Benton, Ellie Mundy and Joana Lopes, Citizenship Education in England 2001-2010: Young people's practices and prospects for the future – The eighth and final report from the Citizenship Education Longitudinal Study (CELS), Research Report RR059, Department for Education
Links: Report | Brief | NFER press release | BBC report
Date: 2010-Nov
A report said that young people in Northern Ireland who had volunteering experience had greater contact with people from different community or religious backgrounds, and held more favourable views towards people from minority-ethnic communities.
Source: Youth Volunteering: Making a difference to community relations, Volunteer Now
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Oct
A report reviewed the first cohort results of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England. The aim was to suggest improvements to the design of the survey in advance of a possible second cohort study.
Source: Aleks Collingwood et al., A Review of the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE): Recommendations for a second cohort, Research Report RR048, Department for Education
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Oct
A report (by an official advisory body) said that 'green exercise', outdoor activity, and environmental volunteering improved young people's well-being and personal responsibility as well as maximizing employment chances. It called on the government and service providers to do more to help young people prepare for the green economy in order to tackle youth unemployment.
Source: Improving Young People's Lives: The role of the environment in building resilience, responsibility and employment chances, Sustainable Development Commission
Links: Report | SDC press release
Date: 2010-Oct
A new book examined the views on religion of young people who attended Christian youth and community work projects in England. The majority said that religion was irrelevant to their daily lives.
Source: Sylvia Collins-Mayo, Bob Mayo, Sally Nash and Christopher Cocksworth, The Faith of Generation Y, Church House Publishing
Links: Summary | NSS press release
Date: 2010-Oct
The charities regulator said that few young people knew about charity trusteeship, and that charities were not doing enough to think creatively about how to attract them to the role. As a result the vast majority of charities were missing out on the energy, enthusiasm, and fresh perspective that young people could bring to charity trustee boards.
Source: A Breath of Fresh Air: Young people as charity trustees, Charity Commission for England and Wales
Links: Report | Charity Commission press release | Charity Times report
Date: 2010-Sep
Researchers used data from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England to examine the demographic, experiential, and attitudinal predictors of community cohesion. Young people's perception of community cohesion was, first and foremost, a product of their individual characteristics and circumstances: but lower socio-economic groups were more likely to have low cohesion.
Source: Sean Demack, Deborah Platts-Fowler, David Robinson, Anna Stevens and Ian Wilson, Young People and Community Cohesion: Analysis from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE), Research Report RR033, Department for Education
Date: 2010-Sep
A report examined young people's experiences of using the internet. Failure to recognize digitally excluded youths as a group requiring focus and support would lead to their isolation from mainstream society – making it harder for them to succeed in education, find a job, and apply for the support they needed.
Source: Young People and the Digital Divide, Catch22
Links: Report | Catch22 press release
Date: 2010-Sep
A new book said that millions of young people faced the most uncertain future since the early 1930s. Their life-chances had been blighted by the 'short-termism' of their parents' generation – which had squandered a nation's communal wealth, and turned its back on society.
Source: Ed Howker and Shiv Malik, Jilted Generation: How Britain has bankrupted its youth, Icon Books
Links: Summary
Date: 2010-Sep
A report set out a framework for improving participation by young people in decisions affecting their lives.
Source: An Equal Place at the Table for Children and Young People, National Participation Forum/National Children s Bureau
Links: Report | NCB press release | Research reports
Date: 2010-Jul
A report examined the attitudes and experiences of young people aged 16 in relation to minority-ethnic groups in Northern Ireland, and identified interventions needed in order to build cohesion between different groups.
Source: Attitudes to Difference: Young people's attitudes to, and experiences of, contact with people from different minority ethnic and migrant groups in Northern Ireland, National Children's Bureau Northern Ireland/ARK
Links: Report | NIE press release
Date: 2010-May
An article examined the relative neglect of young people's networks and resources, and explored the interface between different aspects of identity and the dynamic nature of social networks. It highlighted the need to take a more nuanced and context-sensitive approach to the analysis of social capital.
Source: Susie Weller, 'Young people's social capital: complex identities, dynamic networks', Ethnic and Racial Studies, Volume 33 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2010-May
A think-tank report said that the failure of the political debate to adequately discuss problems such as long-term economic recovery, climate change, the care gap, and communities under strain was turning young people away from politics – despite evidence that many were passionate about politics and social issues.
Source: Celia Hannon and Charlie Tims, An Anatomy of Youth, Demos and V
Links: Report | Summary | Demos press release | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Apr
A think-tank report called for the voting age to be lowered from 18 to 16.
Source: Richard Reeves and Thishani Nadesan, The New Frontier: Votes at 16, Demos
Links: Report | Summary | BBC report
Date: 2010-Apr
A report said that one-quarter of young people aged 18-24 did not feel ready to be fully independent without support. It called on the government to formally recognize young adulthood, from 16 to 25, as a specific life stage, and to ensure that services were better co-ordinated and more relevant to young people struggling to make the transition to adulthood.
Source: Ready or Not, Catch22
Links: Report | Children & Young People Now report
Date: 2010-Jan
A report examined the influence of research led by young people. It explored ways in which public services might take into account the evidence that young people's research produced – in particular, research led by young people rather than research that just involved young people as informants.
Source: Natasha Comber, Annie Hedges and Diane Beddoes, Creative Influence: Research led by young people, Office of Public Management
Links: Report
Date: 2010-Jan